Outlining the Human Space with Laura Tribbett

Laura Tribbett

Laura Tribbett’s evolutionary path into interior design had a remarkably early and structured beginning in the public school system of suburban Twin Cities, Minnesota. In the mid-1990s, a fourth-grade school assignment requiring graph paper and a scaled cardboard model house sparked a lifelong fascination with space planning. Growing up in a household with a one-story layout, a young Laura designed a two-story miniature cabin with a dramatic opening overlooking the main floor—an architectural element that represented the ultimate luxury in her eyes. This formative cardboard project established a clear lane that she would eagerly follow into adulthood.

As the youngest of three siblings, Laura enjoyed a high degree of creative autonomy within her home. Her parents, who balanced careers as musicians and language and math teachers, gave her free rein to experiment, allowing her to constantly rearrange her furniture and explore 1990s trends like sponge painting and wallpaper borders. This self-directed exploration was heavily supplemented by consuming shelter magazines and racing home from school to absorb the transformative—and sometimes wildly chaotic—episodes of early home improvement television programs like TLC’s Trading Spaces.

While she pursued interior design as her core major in college, Laura candidly acknowledges that her real education only truly commenced upon stepping into professional high-stakes work environments. She sharpened her skills across the industry before taking the leap to launch her own firm. Intentionally naming the venture “Outline Interiors” rather than utilizing her own name, she aimed to establish a highly collaborative environment focused on collective, beautiful execution rather than individual vanity. Her path highlights how a blend of early public educational opportunities and a passion for spatial puzzle-solving can build a lasting legacy.